hen it comes time to fusing elegance and performance together in a well-planned package nothing gets you to the head of the class faster than imagining the union of a classic ’50s-era cruiser with all the technological benefits of a new-generation muscle car. The alluring ’55 Chrysler C-300 showcased across our pages belonging to Paul White Sr. of Portland, Maine, stays true to its marque with the blending of an ’18 Dodge Challenger Hellcat to its vintage heritage. Far more involved than your standard platform change, it required the build team to up the ante with reengineering the Hellcat platform to mate to the C-300 as well as integrate all its driveline, electronics, and interior components into the car.
Since the ’55 Chrysler C-300 was heralded as the very first muscle car thanks to its dual-quad, 331ci FirePower Hemi V-8 boasting 300 hp with a top speed of 130 mph, Paul felt it only proper to bring it to the next level after seeing specs for the ’18 Challenger Hellcat with its tire-melting 707hp 6.2L supercharged Hemi and a top speed close to 200 mph. Locating a donor car for the build proved no small feat, especially since there were only a limited number (1,725 to be exact) of C-300 cars built. He was able to finally source an older restoration in solid shape to act as the base for the new build and wasted no time swapping cash for keys. The car was then delivered to Back Bay Customs where he and shop manager Adam Clayman, both co-owners, laid out the plans for the swap. Long known for their intricate custom fabrication skills, the team began preparations for the undertaking.
The exact fitment of the Hellcat platform to the C-300 was the most crucial element in melding the two cars together. With the C-300 having a wheelbase of 126 inches compared to the Hellcat at 116.2 inches, plenty of reengineering and fabrication would be needed. Once both bodies were separated from their respective platforms the team got busy, beginning with the unibody stretch of the Hellcat. Starting with crafting extended structural ’rails and forming sheetmetal panels between the Hellcat unibody and the C-300 body shell, they followed by extending the floor behind the front seats 9.9 inches to accommodate the new wheelbase and driving position. The front wheel arch locations were then modified to accommodate the Hellcat wheel position as well as extending the Hellcat trunk floor to meet that of the C-300. Under the hood, the team fabricated a custom radiator support to cradle the Hellcat heat exchangers and create mounting points for the front fenders and hood latch mounting plates as well as fabricating a panel fusing the Hellcat firewall to the cowl of the C-300.
With the platform installation completed, the new cutting-edge suspension starts out back with a differential packing 2.62 gears with asymmetric limited slip suspended in place by a five-link IRS with coil springs, link-type 22mm solid stabilizer bar, and gas-charged Bilstein shocks with SRT-tuned (three-mode for street, sport, and track) adaptive dampening suspension (ADS), all wrapped in an isolated suspension cradle. Up front, a short-long arm (SLA) IFS with high upper A-arms features coil springs over gas-charged Bilstein shocks with SRT-tuned (three-mode for street, sport, and track) adaptive dampening suspension (ADS) along with a 34mm solid stabilizer bar with lateral and diagonal lower links. It all meets an electric power steering (EPS) system with multi-mode assist and rack-and-pinion steering with hydraulic power-assist. If you’re pushing serious horsepower you’d better have the brakes to back it up. The SRT Brembo high-performance braking system features massive 15.4-inch front slotted-and-vented two-piece rotors with six-piston Brembo calipers with matching 13.8-inch two-piece rotors and four-piston calipers out back combined with four-wheel antilock brakes (ABS) and four-mode electronic stability control (ESC) for traction control. For plenty of timeless style, a set of Schott C10 model wheels, sized 20×9 at each corner, wear Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber, sized P255/40ZR20 for maximum grip.
As with any older restoration, it was obvious the body would need to be blasted clean to reveal any attention needed to the vintage steel panels. After evaluating the playing field, the team fabricated all needed replacement panels, including lower quarters, rockers, and fenders. They followed by completely metal finishing the body while also setting all the gaps, preparing it for a custom coating of Spies Hecker brilliant white and red vibe. Outside, the rear bumper was notched to accommodate the custom-fabricated exhaust tips to add a bit of flair. Finally, nothing adds allure like plenty of fresh shiny bits, thanks to Paul’s Chrome Plating and Stan Stevens, who repaired and polished all the stainless trim.
Getting the Hellcat 300 to the street was truly a group effort by the team at Back Bay Customs, including Adam Clayman, Jon Chase, Dylan Pelletier, Dylan Lee, Matt Harmon, Coti Sanders, and Sean Hamlin. All we can say is this original muscle car is revitalized with cutting-edge performance, making it a standout by fusing the best of both generations.